Jump Rope Training Made Simple

Jump rope training (Plyometrics) is one of the best ways to develop speed, agility, and overall fitness.  One of the greatest benefits of jump rope training is that you can travel with your jump ropes and train wherever you go.

Begin by measuring your Baseline. Jump as many times in 30 seconds using the alternate foot step or power jump. Take the average of the 3 thirty second sprints to establish the baseline. For example if you jumped 60 times in 30 seconds, multiply 60 by 2 to (the count for each foot).  Then, repeat 3 times and add the reps per set. Finally, divide by 3 to get the average.

World renowned jump rope expert, Buddy Lee, outlines jump rope training using the following phases:

Phase 1 (Preparation) – Frequency-3-5 Days/week; Intensity-120-220 RPM; Duration-5-10 min. Practice the alternate foot step jump; mix basic bounce and alternate feet as if running in place. Must do 140 without miss to move on to next step. Work up to 500 jumps. It would take you 2-3 weeks

Phase2 (Intermediate Step) – 5min per session; at 160-180 rpm; 4-5x/week; for 2-3 weeks

• High step – Knee up to waist
• Side Straddle – Lt. and Rt. feet move in and out towards and away from the hips in a side to side motion while rope passes over your head.
• Forward straddle – Rt. and Lt. feet move forward and back as the rope is on top of range of motion.
• Skier’s jump – Lt. and Rt. jump left to right with feet together as rope passes over head.
• Bell jump – Jump forward and back with feet together.
• Half-Twister – Jump with both feet Lt. to Rt. as you twist your hips. Return to starting position in between each jump.
• X-Foot cross – Cross Lt. and Rt. legs over and under as rope crosses over head.
• Forward shuffle (Muhammad Ali Shuffle) –Shift body weight as you move from one foot to other.
• Backward shuffle – Bend left and right knees backwards to 90 degrees as rope crosses over head.
• Heel to toe touch – Start with a bounce step. On the first jump, hop on Rt. foot and touch Lt. heel to floor in-front of you. On Second jump, hop on Rt. food again touch your Lt. toe to the floor next to your Rt. foot and repeat.
• Backwards jumping – Reverse the direction of the rope.
• Arm crossover – Swing the rope and cross arms over. Cross and uncross arms as you jump.
• Arm side swing to jump – Hold rope with both hands. Cross over rope per side. Jump while centered.
• Power jump – Rope passes under your feet twice or more in 1-jump. (AKA – double, triple unders).

Phase 3 (Conditioning) – Combinations of the above jumps. 10min; 180 RPM’s without a miss or catching the rope before you move on the next step

Phase 4 (Sports training) -160-220 RRM’s; 3x/week; for 2-4 weeks; at 95% of Max Heart Rate. Use combinations of exercises above.

Are you ready to Finish It With Finish Fit?